Duel diagnoses

I stopped drinking nine months ago and ever since I stopped drinking I feell awful. Thats an understatement. As soon as I get up in the morning my mind is racing on me. By the afternoon I am agitated, irritable cannot concentrate and my energy level is completely depleted. I went to the dr and nothing showed in my blood. I went to a shrink and he believes that I have a condition called Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This condition causes the above mentioned symptoms so I probably was medicating myself with the alcohol. He wants me to take 4mgs of xanax and maybe in a few weeks give me an anti depressent. I am already taking two mgs of xanax daily and it really does not do anything for me. My mind is still going a mile a minute and I am severely fatigued. I have been to aa and it was helpful the first three months of my sobriety. I can't get myself to a meeting because of the severe fatigue and depression that I have. I really cannnot motivate myself. Also. the people in aa cannot relate to what I am feeling. It seems all they want to here is lositive things and a am full of pain and negativity. What should I do? Is there anyne out there who has experinced anything like this. I functioned better when I was drinking. Now I feel that I have to go back to drinking to feel better. This is a nightmare.

[Jacker]

Although I've abused alcohol in the past, I can't say I have any personal experiance with your situation, BUT my wife is bi-polar, so I've seen these types of symptoms before.  You need to be on the right combonation of medications - then you should feel better.  It will take some time to figure out what works, and it also may take some periodic adjustments to your dosage level.  If your current meds aren't helping, then go back to the shrink and tell him.  Make sure you give each perscription some time to work.  Many of them require a blood level, and it can take a few weeks for them to really take hold.

Don't treat this with aclohol, or you'll have additional problems to deal with (and the booze won't help forever).  Also, don't mix alcohol with the meds.  

[working dog]

i would give it 2 years...you still could have symptoms...have you been tested for hep c ?that will give you debilitating fatigue..also just plan depression ...ever since i stopped drinking i have really bad fatigue...but i noticed when i'm feeling good about stuff i have a lot more energy...i quit heavy drinking a little more then 2 years ago and 1 to 2 beers a day a little over a year ago...i do have hep c so that makes things worse..although i think a lot the problems i have right now are just because of changes in my life style....this time of year everyone is waiting for winter to be over ..i also have to wonder if some of us get more allergys (allergies) after we quit alcohol..the ajustment to no more drinking does take time...and the liver is slow to get healthy again...but don't go back to drinking whatever you do...good luck ...billy

[ibizan]

i agree with Jacker......i work with a guy who is not an acloholic but has extreme GAD.....it is hard to diagnose a secondary diagnosis minus it being combined with alcohol......stay off the alcohol and keep trying to find meds that will work....u know it takes 10-days to 3 weeks for a medication to totally absorb in2 the body and to show results!

[susieq87]

I too had a dual diagnosis, a double winner.  My opinion is, the Xanax is totally wrong for you.  I was put on a mood stabilizer which is designed to give you energy plus take away the anxiety.  They have medicine such as effexr and lexapro.  The xanax will make you fatigued and tired and I feel is only replacing the beer or pills.  Does your doctor know you were a drinker? You are in trouble if you go back to drinking I feel.  Do whatever it takes, there are free therapists and so forth.  Xanax is not the answer for your problem I feel.  If you are locked into this doctor, explain the whole picture, take care of yourself because we get generalized at doctor's offfices.

[Tink70]

I am a recovering alcoholic and I suffer from mild GAD.  Xanax is horrid!  It is just as addictive as alcohol.  I agree with susieq - it is not a good thing for you to be on.  Paxil and Zoloft are excellent antidepressants that also treat GAD.  Just staying sober one day at a time has helped my anxiety better than any pill but the first year was MISERABLE!  I took medication and still felt like ****!  And don't worry about the people in the AA meetings.  Just GO!  If you need to share, SHARE!  The feelings you have DO relate to your alcoholism because it sounds like you started out to self - medicate.  GAD is a symptom of mind and spirit.  I realized that I had never learned the skills to deal with life on life's terms and it coupled with bad brain circuits - it lead me to alcohol.  It stimulated the GABA in my brain and gave me a false sense of security.  After a couple of 24 hours sober, a sponsor, meetings and step work and ALOT of hand holding by my fellow AA friends....I got and stayed sober and then the anxiety got better.
It works if you work It!
Hope all Goes Well...